Rigid Love (Sequel to Stockholm Syndrome)

I'll Always Choose You

TW: mention of abuse + abandonment

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I sighed, exhausted, slamming my laptop shut probably harder than I needed to.

"Done?" Dream asked from the kitchen. He looked over at me from behind his own laptop.

I nodded and closed my eyes, sinking into the couch. "Yeah, finally."

Dream frowned and sat next to me on the couch. He held out his arms which I cuddled into without hesitation. "Then why do you still seem stressed?" he asked.

"We'll all my professors were nice and respectful except for Professor Willick - he's such a prick!" I half shouted, feeling like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

"Who is he?"

"FYS professor. He told me he doesn't care that I need some time for my mental health and that I'll have to make up all the work I missed and turn it in on the day it's due. It's not like I'm asking for a few weeks off or anything! I'm asking for three days off and that's it! Fucking prick can't give me three days to chill!" I took a deep breath suddenly feeling bad venting to Dream so much. "I can't wait until next year when I don't have to take all these dumb first year classes."

I then realized something I hadn't ever thought of before. "Dream?"

"Yeah?"

"How old are you?"

"22. I had just turned 21 when we met." He kissed my forehead lightly.

"Did you ever go to university?"

Dream hung his head then shook it. "It's one of my biggest regrets - no I didn't. However, I got hooked up with a job as a junior in high school so I felt like I didn't need to go at the time."

I looked into his eyes, searching. I could tell he wanted to tell me more, so I gave him a nonverbal cue.

Dream sighed and rubbed his forehead like he was considering a hard deal. "Do you want the long version or the short one?"

I was quiet for a second, considering my choices. Dream hasn't really shared anything super private about his life and now...well, it seemed like I was going to get something out of him for once. But of course I didn't want to force him to share if he wasn't comfortable. "Long, if that's okay with you," I said, giving him a soft smile.

*Dream's POV*

I nodded and straightened out my voice. "My family was falling apart and I felt like I wasn't in it anymore so I would often hang out on the street," he started, eyes down and voice slow, soft. "My mom was pregnant - 8 or 9 months or something - and she took off with my step dad. I was 17 - no 18 - and I came home one day to find the house sold." I bit my lip. "I barely got my stuff out in time. He just sold it without telling me or my mom. He was just a dick who was never going to be my father."

George looked at me in a funny way.

I stopped my story and questioned him. "What?"

"I just...your dad wasn't a nice guy, was he?"

I blinked slowly. I was pretty sure I knew what he was asking. "What do you mean?"

*caution: mention of abuse + abandonment*

George lowered his voice, "Did he hit you?"

I gulped, forcing a lump down my throat. "Yeah." I nodded. Tears gathered in my eyes. "He took his anger out on me. Even the little things he got angry about-it was all on me." I stopped and gathered my thoughts.

George used his slender finger to wipe away a tear from my eye, then kissed me on the cheek. "You okay?"

I nodded and took a deep breath. "I was basically loving out of my parents house by the time I turned 18 - I couldn't fucking stand it there." I continued, suppressing my angry and sad tones as much as I could. "My mom moved kinda far from me...I haven't talked to her since." My voice softened, the realization hitting me. "I have her address, though. My mom sent me a text telling me to visit her in the hospital to meet my baby sister."

"You never met her? Your sister?" George's asked.

I shook my head. "I never went to see her or my mom cause she left me when I needed her most. She chose someone who abused her son instead of her own flesh and blood. I don't think I should forgive her for that."

*end of mention of abuse + abandonment*

George nodded, not agreeing or disagreeing, just taking it all in.

"Anyway, I turned to the streets and struggled for money. When I was about to lose my shitty studio apartment, I figured I had no choice but to turn to robbery and pickpocketing."

George raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't look at me like that. You know I've done worse. You know I was actually good at it...until I slipped up and landed myself in jail. And then Technoblade - you remember Techno?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I definitely remember him."

"Well he bailed me out. He didn't know who I was but he bailed me out and said I could have a job that paid well. When I asked what the job was he didn't tell me right away and obviously I was skeptical." I sighed. "Long story short I joined and made money that way. He introduced me to the world of kidnapping, sex, murder. I was addicted... to all of it and now I actually had the money to do it all. After a while, I got back on my feet and got another job that let me work from home."

"What's that job? It's the job you have now, right?"

I smiled. "Yeah. They pay me really well for simply writing on their page every other day. It's basically a freelance writing position. I can write about anything I want whether that be food, travel, other work, love... anything - they will pay me to write about it. As long as people read the blog post, I keep writing." I realized I was kinda rambling. "Sorry."

"Sorry for what? Rambling?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't be." He made eye contact with me. "I can tell you're passionate about it and I love when you talk about things you're passionate about."

I couldn't help but smile at his comment. I kissed his forehead as a 'thank you' and continued, "Techno and the others don't know about it so they probably think I'm homeless or at least broke by now. They know I didn't go to school cause I had no money, no support, and well, I fucking hated it." I looked deep into George's big, dark eyes before telling him something I never intended on telling him before, "You know, one of the reasons I kept you for so long was because I finally had someone that supported me and loved me... or at least that's what it felt like... to me. I don't know if you ever truly felt like that even for a second, but it felt like that for me." I smiled at him sheepishly.

George put a hand on my cheek. I blushed. "Well, I did love you... I still do. I don't know if I ever really supported you." We both chuckled. "I'm happy you opened up. I was wondering why you turned to kidnapping in the first place. I even happier you're done with it, though."

"I couldn't continue after you. After what happened. I-" my voice broke.

George nestled into my body and hugged me. "I know, Dream, I know. I'll always love you and support you the best I can now," he whispered. We sat in silence for a minute before George piped up again, "Dream?"

"Yeah?"

"You'll always have me. You know that right?"

I nodded, tears forming again.

"I know your mom didn't choose you, but I will, every time. I will always choose you," he said slowly, letting every word linger on his tongue.

I kissed him on the forehead, then his nose, then finally his lips, which curled into a smile. "I'll always choose you, too, Georgie."